Dust mop having replaceable soil collecting element



y 1967 s. KIRSCHENBAUM 3,329,988

DUST MOP HAVING REPLACEABLE SOIL COLLECTING ELEMENT Filed July 22, 1964 United States Patent 3,329,388 DUST MOP HAVING REPLACEABLE SOIL COLLECTING ELEMENT Samuel Kirschenbaum, 1347 Ocean Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11230 Filed July 22, 1964, Ser. No. 384,339 3 Claims. (Cl. 15231) This invention relates generally to the field of household cleaning devices, and more particularly to an improved soil-catching tool which may be used to replace a conventional dry mop.

Dry mops are in widespread use at the present time, for routine floor dusting and similar tasks. In an abbreviated handle form, they may also be used for dusting various objects above floor level, such as table surfaces, chairs, and the like. While reasonably effective in use, such mops suffer from a very serious disadvantage in that after they have absorbed an optimum amount of soil, they must be shaken rather vigorously to render them in a state where they may again be used. In those locations where shaking is not permissible, it is necessary to hand pick the dust from the mop, a laborious task, and dispose of the same within a paper wrapping or the like. Further, under such mode of use, it is impossible to clean the mop totally at any time, and a large amount of residual dust always remains in the mop, thus maintaining same in an unsanitary condition.

It is therefore among the principal objects of the present invention to provide an improved cleaning implement of the class described in which the above-mentioned disadvantage has been substantially eliminated.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved cleaning device which may employ a disposable soil-retaining member which may be selectively fitted onto the operative face of a permanent flexible support, and readily removed at the completion of a cleaning operation or when the absorptive capacity of the removable member has been reached.

Yet another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved cleaning implement of the class described in which the structure forming the supporting operative face may be of a resilient nature, thereby enabling the same to accommodate for minor irregularities in the surface being cleaned.

A further object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved cleaning implement possessed of the above advantages, in which the cost of fabrication may be of a reasonably low order, directly comparable with existing prior art devices, thereby permitting consequent wide sale, distribution and use.

A feature of the invention lies in the fact that the resilient components of the device may be formed as a continuous extrusion from rubber or similar material.

Another feature of the invention lies in the relatively large soil-collecting area which may be placed in contact with a surface to be cleaned as the same is moved thereover.

These objects and features, as well as other incidental ends and advantages, will more fully appear in the progress of the following disclosure, and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, to which reference will be made in the specification, similar reference characters have been employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of an extruded tubular element forming a part of the disclosed embodiment.

FIGURE 2 is a similar view in perspective showing a degree of distortion introduced upon partial assembly of the disclosed embodiment.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing a disposable soil-collecting member used in conjunction with the element shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 4 is a view in perspective showing the member shown in FIGURE 3 in assembled condition upon the element shown in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a transverse sectional view as seen from the plane 5-5 in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view in elevation of a fully assembled embodiment of the invention, certain of the parts in altered relative position being illustrated in dashed lines.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view as seen from the right-hand portion of FIGURE -6.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary view in elevation showing the disclosed embodiment in use.

In accordance with the invention, the device, generally indicated by reference character 10, comprises broadly: a handle element 11, a bracket element 12, a clip element 13, a flexible tubular element 14, and a disposable soil-collecting member 15.

The handle element 11 may be conventional type, including a tubular member or dowel, the lower end 18 of which is provided with transverse openings (not shown) for the engagement of screws which hold the bracket element 12 thereupon.

The bracket element 12 includes an upper member 20 and a lower member 21, both of which are suitably formed as metallic stampings. The lower member 21 includes an oifset portion 22 forming an interstice 23 which is penetrated by wing nut means 24 serving to hold the clip element 13 in either of two positions illustrated in FIGURE 6.

The clip element 13 is also preferably formed as a metallic stamping, and includes a clip-engaging member 26 and a channeled member 27 having a U-shaped cross section best seen in FIGURE 5, and first and second ends 28 and 29. As seen in FIGURE 5, in installed condition the same is crimped upon the flexible tubular element 14, and thus is formed of a relatively rigid metal capable of retaining an imparted shape.

The flexible tubular element 14 is preferably formed as a continuous rubber or synthetic resinous extrusion, and includes a planar bottom wall 32, and curved upper walls 33 and 34, the walls 3234 being interconnected at edges 35, 36 and 37. In relatively unstressed condition, before assembly of the device, the tubular element 14 assumes the condition shown in FIGURE 1 in the drawing, wherein the edge 37 is of relatively large radius, and the edges 35 and 36 are of somewhat smaller radius. Upon engagement with the clip element 13, pressure on the outer surfaces of the walls 33 and 34 causes a slight bowing effect on the planar bottom wall 32, the purpose of which will become readily apparent hereinafter.

The disposable soil-collecting member 15 is preferably of a form of fibrous paper toweling manufacturing by felting staple fibers. One such fabric is sold under the trademark Masslinn, which is made of a blend of cotton and rayon fibers, several continuous webs of fibers being laid one on top of the other and then put through a machine which deposits adhesive on the face of the material to bind each fiber into place. Other fabrics having soft, felt-like texture may be employed, owing to the ease with which the surfaces of the same may pick up dust and dirt. As seen in FIGURE 3, the member 15 is generally rectangular in configuration, being bounded by side edges 41 and 42, and end edges 43 and 44. In positioning the member 15 upon the tubular element 14, the end edges 43 and 44 thereof are inserted into the end openings of the element 14, particularly to be retained at the corners formed by the interconnection of the inner surface of the wall 32 with the inner sur 3 faces 47 and 48 of the walls 33 and 34, respectively, as best seen in FIGURE 4.

The device may be used as shown in'FIGURE 8, wherein a portion of the total area of the member 15 is brought into contact with the upper surface of a floor or other. surface being dusted. Movement of the device by a user standing in a fixed position will bring a continuously changing portion of the surface of the member 15 into contact with the floor, wherein the entire surface will-pick up the optimum amountof soil before it becomes necessary to replace the member 15. Thus, the entire weight of. the device, plus the pressure exerted by the user, is concentrated over a relatively small area, to obtain maximum efficiency in cleaning the soiled surface.

When it is desired to store the device, it is necessary only to loosen the wing nut means 24 and move the in tegrated bracket element 12 and clip element 13 to a position wherein the same lie parallel to the handle element 11 to occupy a minimum of space, as seen in FIG- URE 6. f

I wish it to be understood that I do not consider the invention limited to the precise details of structure shown and set forth in this specification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

substantially planar surfaces, a tubular element formed of flexible resilient material which in relatively unstressed condition includes an elongated planar first wall and a pair of inwardly curved walls which are mutually interconnected along a common first edge; each of said curved walls having a second edge interconnected to a longitudinal edge of said first planar wall; a clip element of channel-shaped cross section engaging said curved walls at said common first edge to exert a distortingeffect upon said first wall and bow the same resiliently outward; and a a flexible planar soil-absorbing member selectively engageable upon an outwardly disposed surface of said first wall.

2. In a device for picking up and retaining soil from substantially planar surfaces, atubular element formed of flexible resilient material which in relatively unstressed condition includes an elongated planar first wall and a ings at each of two ends thereof, said soil-absorbing memher being retained upon said first wall by inserting por-' tions thereof into said openings to be resiliently retained thereby.

3. In a device for picking up and retaining soil from substantially planar surfaces, a tubular element formed of flexible resilient material which in relatively unstressed condition includes an elongated planar first wall and a pair of inwardly curved walls which are mutually interconnected along a common first edge; each of said curved walls having a second edge interconnected to. a

longitudinal edge of said first planar. wall; a clip element of channel-shaped cross section engaging said curved walls at said common first edge to exert a distorting effect upon said first wall and bow the same resiliently outward; and a flexible planar soil-absorbing member selectively engageable upon an outwardly disposed surface of said first wall; said tubular element de'- fining openings at each of two ends thereof, said soil absorbing member being retained upon said first wall by inserting portions thereof into said opening to be resiliently retained thereby; said soil-absorbing member being composed of felted fibrous material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 148,698 7 3/ 1874 Higgins 15231 FOREIGN PATENTS 159,370 3/ 1905 Germany.

234,781 5/ 1911 Germany.

708,297 5/ 1954 Great Britain.

DANIEL BLUM, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A DEVICE FOR PRICKING UP AND RETAINING SOIL FROM SUBSTANTIALLY PLANAR SURFACES, A TUBULAR ELEMENT FORMED OF FLEXIBLE RESILIENT MATERIAL WHICH IN RELATIVELY UNSTRESSED CONDITION INCLUDES AN ELONGATED PLANAR FIRST WALL AND A PAIR OF INWARDLY CURVED WALLS WHICH ARE MUTUALLY INTERCONNECTED ALONG A COMMON FIRST EDGE; EACH OF SAID CURVED WALLS HAVING A SECOND EDGE INTERCONNECTED TO A LONGITUDINAL EDGE OF SAID FRIST PLANAR WALL; A CLIP ELEMENT OF CHANNEL-SHAPED CROSS SECTION ENGAGING SAID CURVED WALLS AT SAID COMMON FIRST EDGE TO EXERT A DISTORTING EFFECT UPON SAID FIRST WALL AND BOW THE SAME RESILIENTLY OUTWARD; AND A A FLEXIBLE PLANAR SOIL-ABSORBING MEMBER SELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE UPON AN OUTWARDLY DISPOSED SURFACE OF SAID FIRST WALL. 